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via Getty

via Getty

Serena Williams is leading an eventful life with her husband Alexis Ohanian and daughter Olympia. On the other hand, Venus Williams is happily leading a single life. But that does not mean she is all alone. A special guest came into her life in 2007 who has kept her company for 16 years.

This has turned out to be one of the biggest and happiest decisions of her life as she has now joined hands to promote pet adoptions and animal-welfare programs.

How did Venus Williams meet her best bud, Harry? 

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The seven-time Grand Slam champion has found happiness in her single life. And during all this time, she has had one constant, her 16-year-old Havanese, Harry. Pets are an inseparable part of many people’s lives and, despite traveling all over the world, Venus always kept her best buddy by her side.

It was in 2007, after winning Wimbledon, she went to stroll around. And that is where she found Harry. She gave her sister, Serena Williams, a call who instantly fell in love with him. She said, “Get him. I love him already.” 

And after that, she took him wherever she went, including areas where you can’t find pets except for service dogs. Harry has gone with Williams to an NBA All-Star Game and a Spanish museum. In a recent interview with Daily Paws, she stated, “Since I travel so much, it would be so sad to miss half of his life.” Therefore, she stated, “So I don’t have to miss his life, and he doesn’t have to miss his life with me. We get to live that life together.”


And the constant pampering led her mother, Oracene Price, to say, “This dog is spoiled.” To this Venus replied, “I like to think he’s healthy because he is.”

READ MORE: 42-Year-Old Venus Williams Makes Major Business Move to Expand Her $95 Million Worth Empire

And because of this loving bond, the elder Williams sister has joined hands with Athletes for Animals to raise $150,000 to fund pet adoptions and animal-welfare programs. Serena is no different from her elder sister. She has had numerous pet dogs over the years. However, one holds such a special place in her heart that she named him after her favorite athlete.

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Serena Williams’ love for ‘Rafael Nadal’

If you combine Serena’s love for dogs and her admiration for the Spanish tennis icon, Rafael Nadal, what will you get? The answer is a dog named ‘Rafael Nadal’. Serena Williams has a beloved dog named after the 14-time French Open champion. All in all, she has two dogs, and the idea behind naming one after Rafael Nadal was because of her admiration for the Spanish tennis legend.

Christopher ‘Chip‘ Rafael Nadal is a Yorkshire Terrier who is 5 years old. He has got around 14k followers on Instagram. And according to his Instagram bio, he is a professional fetcher, ladies’ man, and a snuggle buddy. And Williams claims him to be her middle child. 

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Both sisters have an undying love for their pets and they continue to pamper them endlessly and unapologetically.